Carols with Brass
Saturday, Nov 27, 2010, 7:30 pm
George St. United Church

Featuring:
CHRISTOPHER MAYELL, tenor
ST. TERESA SCHOOL CHOIR
THE PAUL OTWAY BRASS

Brass and timpani and organ and 100 voices raised in song! What better way to welcome the festive season? The premiere brass ensemble joins the Singers for sing-along favourites and more.

CHRISTOPHER MAYELL
A native of Kingston Ontario, tenor Christopher Mayell is a graduate of Queen’s University and the University of Western Ontario, where he earned a Performance Diploma with Distinction and a Masters of Music in Vocal Literature and Performance while studying with Torin Chiles. Mr. Mayell’s recent roles include Trevor in Frobisher for The Banff Summer Arts Festival, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, and Snout in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Oratorio performances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah conducted by Timothy Vernon for Orchestra London, Handel’s Messiah in Stratford, Ontario, Bach’s B minor Mass in Kingston, and the Mozart Requiem with the Bach Elgar Choir, Hamilton. Mr. Mayell most recently performed the roles of Sam & Dandy 1 in Calgary Opera's Canadian premiere of The Ballad of Baby Doe (2008).

PAUL OTWAY BRASS
Heading up the Paul Otway Brass is trumpeter Paul Otway. This exciting musician, who is also a husband and the proud father of two, is currently freelancing in Southern Ontario and was a substitute trumpet player in the Toronto production of The Sound of Music.

Paul pursued musical studies at the University of Western Ontario where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Music in Performance (1994) and a Masters in Music Performance and Literature (1996). He has toured North America with the musicals South Pacific and Chicago, The Musical, and he toured the United States with Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Paul has held the position of Principal Trumpet with the Oshawa-Durham Symphony, Sudbury Symphony, the Royal Conservatory of Music Orchestra (Toronto), the Scarborough Philharmonic, the University of Western Ontario Symphony Orchestra, and the London Youth Symphony. Paul has also been a member of Brass Rings (a brass quintet), the Intrada Brass Band, and Brassroots, a ten-piece brass ensemble.

Freelance playing has allowed Paul the opportunity to perform with other groups, which include the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Windsor Symphony, Canadian Opera Company, Shaw Festival, Hannaford Street Silver Band, Niagara Symphony, North York Symphony, North Bay Symphony, Peterborough Symphony, National Academy Orchestra, Toronto Lyric Sinfonietta, Etobicoke Symphony, Toronto Wind Ensemble, and the Trillium Brass Quintet. He has also performed in chamber music settings and in numerous musicals, including Annie Get Your Gun, Cabaret, Guys and Dolls, Camelot, West Side Story, The Wizard of Oz, and The Music Man; productions of Wonderful Town and "Follies - in Concert" at the Shaw Festival; and the Mirvish productions of Wicked, Les Miserables, Nicholas Nickleby, and The Phantom of the Opera.

As a soloist, Paul has performed with the Oshawa-Durham Symphony, Brampton Symphony, Etobicoke Centennial Choir, Brass Rings Brass Quintet, Windsor Symphony Brass Quintet, Bells of Bowmanville, Durham Youth Orchestra, London Youth Symphony, Caledon Concert Band, at charity events, and in recitals. He currently freelances and teaches privately in South Central Ontario and also finds time to compose and arrange a variety of music.

Paul's playing has been recorded on CD and broadcast on CBC Radio with a variety of different ensembles, and he can be seen in the movie Fever Pitch (look for the trumpet player!). He has performed for live audiences in 36 states and 7 provinces.